Christmas Cookies

I was hoping to have this beautiful blog about the bunches of Christmas cookies that I was baking this glorious holiday season but it has not gone as planned.
I tried, tried very hard to plan...it's hard to spend all day baking with 3 kids but I was determined.
I forewarned my dear husband early last week saying "I will be baking ALLLLLL weekend, so be prepared" He said "Fine"..I think he's used to it because this is what I do every year but I was trying to increase what I bake. I had visions of getting up Saturday morning, showering, putting on bummy clothes, enjoying my coffee and planning my baking schedule; after all, I had ALL DAY!

Well, Thursday night I get a call about this birthday party my oldest was invited to...when was it? Saturday at 3pm! NO! It couldn't be - I could strangle last minute planners - what a kink that would put in my plan - how dare they?! Well, I had to take her, right? It was at the Obnoxious land of Libby Lu and she was begging to go...ok, I'll take her!

Back to cookies: I had most of the ingredients, made a list for more and we took a trip to the store. I was prepared! I was excited! It would be a cookie baking experience to top all cookie baking experiences and I was ready.

Well, Saturday came and I woke up later than I wanted and there was too much prep work to be done so I didn't start actually making the dough until 11am! Eeek! I HAD to get the Peanut Butter ones done 1st since I was sending a bunch to my dad for Christmas. I whipped up 4x the recipe, baked a bunch and saved the rest. Then, I started on the Chocolate Chip ones...2pm rolls around and I have to wash my hair, get myself and daughter ready for the party! Eeek! I only had 2 flavors of dough made! I left it all, begged Julian to put it away and rushed to the party. We were there for 2hrs and she had a blast (pics to come later) so it was worth it but geesh when would I get to those cookies?!

By this time it was 5pm...time for dinner so I took us out (after all the kitchen was overtaken by cookies). We had a nice dinner at one of our favorite places and when we arrived home I had no more ambition to bake so I said "it'll wait until Sunday".

Sunday I made more progress - made more dough and actually baked the 2 new recipes that I was trying this year but I ran out of time to bake more!!! So I said "it'll wait until Monday night after work". Then my throat started hurting, my head was pounding and I realized I was getting the dreadful cold my kids have...GREAT!

Monday night came and went...I had no energy to bake so I said "Tuesday".

Tuesday came, the cold was still there but when I got home I dove right in...Then it all went to hell in a hand basket!!!!!

My chocolate chip cookie dough BOMBED! Literally. The dough didn't firm up like it usually does in the fridge so instead of nice fluffy cookies I got flat almost burnt cookies. In fact, I did burn the first batch but caught the next before it burned. I think I mixed the dough for too long...I was super ambitious and tried to do it all at once - I made 4x the recipe and I don't think you can do that LOL!
So, after that disaster I tried the Snickerdoodle dough. The dough felt great, I made the balls and rolled in the cinnamon and sugar mix and started to bake them. THEY BURNED! I could NOT believe it! I baked another batch and they were SO much better; almost perfect!! I thought I was making progress BUT the next batch BURNED again. I could not believe it. I've never botched cookies this bad. I'm a good baker...or at least that's what I've been told.

So.

I fired myself.

For the time being.

I have spritz cookie dough waiting to be baked. If I burn those I think I'll hang up my mixing bowls.